Reviews

MRR #500 • January 2025

Blue Ray Explain This (Deluxe) cassette

Dark electronic post-punk band with ’80s vibes. I loved the combination of more classically gothic elements (like the choir-esque intro in “Downtown”) with the large variety of vocal types (distorted vocals in “On All Fours,” spoken word-style in “Downtown,” speaking while exhaling smoke in “Gimme”) that really keep you on your toes. The variety of dark elements they utilized really contributed to their overall sound. With electronic solos in a couple of tracks, they really shine in their cover of “Wicked Game.” They’re able to take the song, change it to their more upbeat and post-punk style, and create a song that leaves you feeling emotionally crushed.

Bola de Cristal Bola de Cristal cassette

Debut release from Seville’s BOLA DE CRISTAL. Ten tracks in the synth punk/post-punk vein, featuring mid-tempo rhythms of sturdy bass and drums, under squabble-y guitars that shimmer with chorus, enchanting synths, and beautiful vocals by Carmen Marchena. This reminds me of the hearty feeling I got from PHANTASIA, who I reviewed a couple years back. I’ll be excited to see where BOLA DE CRISTAL goes from here.

Brutalize …Can’t Relate LP

BRUTALIZE takes its name from the Scandinavian masters of lighting-fast metalized crust DRILLER KILLER’s debut record. Just like Cliff (the mentor of DRILLER KILLER and previously the heavy metal agitator of ANTI-CIMEX), these maniac lads proudly wear their influences on their sleeves. Brother band to deadly metalpunk outfit PHANE, the references are all there and the lesson is engraved in their minds. Fast-paced, noisy crust à l DRILLER KILLER, following the lineage of ’90s ANTI-CIMEX and TOTALITÄR, with hints of metal. Vocalist Pedro goes all out, belching nihilistic themes on top of the whirlwind of  chaos. Twenty songs of brutal, misanthropic punk!

Crusty Hi Charge Crusty Hi Charge CD

A collection of wretched noise from Osaka’s CRUSTY HI CHARGE, before they changed their name to SAAG in the early 2000s. Taken from a self-titled cassette, a compilation, and a 7” EP, this is a neat little package that will satisfy any itch that can be scratched with rabid vocals and chaotic instrumentation. Definitely ahead of its time by about 25 years; if this came out today, it would be in everybody’s yearly top ten list.

Decider Thoughts & Prayers cassette

Not to be confused with the other active New York City-based DECIDER (a crossover thrash band) as I almost did when looking up this release—this DECIDER plays mid-tempo indie rock. Fortunately, I received the cassette, as I cannot find anything about this band online. Unfortunately, I received the cassette. While the opening track, or the fact the band does an incredibly castrated-sounding STOOGES cover, may trick some people into thinking that this is a garage-esque punk band, a vast majority of the songs on this cassette range from alt-rock revival to artsy, sing-songy, early ’00s-style indie rock to acoustic singer-songwriter fluff. Aside from the aforementioned, I can’t imagine anything on this cassette being on any sort of punk music enthusiast’s radar. This feels like a testament to just how few places there are remaining that will review cassettes as a viable music medium. This has absolutely no place being reviewed in Maximum Rocknroll.

Edgar Places We Live, Places We Die LP

Formed in 1994 and breaking up just a couple of years later, Long Island screamo band EDGAR, with members who went on to play in the STATE SECEDES and LAST DAYS OF AUGUST, reunited in 2019 before settling down to write a new album during the pandemic. The result, Places We Live, Places We Die, feels like a time capsule from 30 years ago, firmly mid-tempo and blending discordant and harmonic guitar lines reflecting the influence of ‘90s post-hardcore from D.C. Bob English alternates between intense scream-singing and…something I don’t know how else to describe other than “musical talking.” While his vocal highs aren’t as sweet as they were on the TETSUO split, he still delivers a strong performance, supported by interesting songwriting and solid musicianship from the band. The result is a satisfying, nostalgic listen for fans of ’90s-era screamo with a D.C. twist. Check out “Failing as Humans.”

Egghead. Dumb Songs for Smart People LP

This is the first vinyl release of the 1999 compilation put out by Mutant Pop Records on CD. NYC’s EGGHEAD plays simple, lo-fi punk pop songs about unrequited love, bad jobs, and growing up. No doubt this could have been a Lookout! release, as the songs stand up to the oeuvre of the MR. T EXPERIENCE, SQUIRTGUN, and the TEEN IDOLS. What sets this apart is the rough, rushed, underground sound and the feeling that they don’t take themselves too seriously, but are equally adept at crafting two-minute irreverent opuses.

Festa del Perdono Società Mentale EP

Post-punk, sort of dark rock/punk band. I was really drawn to the vocals on this EP, as they were sort of punk-style speaking, and borderline rap at times due to the sheer speed at which he was singing and speaking. My favorite track was “Pomeriggio Dorato,” as it had a more spooky and atmospheric intro, followed by almost ska-style guitar, reminiscent of “Ghost Town” by the SPECIALS. It also had a great bass interlude in the middle of the track. Overall, get ready to get immersed in a dark and wonderfully gloomy atmosphere.

Half Brick Half Brick cassette

“This is the Shrewsbury sound,” says a handwritten insert inside my copy of the handmade J-card of HALF BRICK’s second cassette. It’s fair to say this English market town has not spawned many other bands worthy of this claim in its thousand-year or so history, therefore let it be known that whirlwind herbert punk blare will ring through the streets as you shop for vapes and phone accessories. It’s pleasingly unclear what HALF BRICK is gunning for here, but it comes off to me as cats with a mysterious guy hardcore grounding trying their hand at Bored Teenagers-type late ’70s church hall punk crossed with ’90s turbo garage à la Crypt Records. The singer sounds like a tougher Billy Childish, the guitarist cranks out hairy solos for fun, and the lyrics “Give yourself a hefty pat on the back” (‘’Good Intentions”) are, I have a feeling, not as wholesome as they read on paper.

Jug Or Not EP

It took me much longer than it should have to catch the pun in this EP’s title, but JUG is affirmatively pummeling, and despite my smooth-brained density, Or Not is fitting for the group in both sound and spirit. Mid-tempo bummer punk that shares some DNA with LIFE STINKS, but you can tell they’re from somewhere much colder than San Francisco. Ah yes, Winnipeg. No palm trees in Winnipeg. JUG may not play fast, but the songs are never plodding. Better still, they have riffs that are both punishing and memorable. Four cuts that don’t overstay their welcome with a theme song to boot. An impressive debut.

Loose Lips One More Chance EP

Featuring members of the PRIZE, the CHATS, and CHUBBY AND THE GANG, I was definitely set up with high expectations and interested in what sound might win out in that wild game of rock, paper, scissors. Fans of any of those bands will be excited to hear these songs, and I think the classic punky power pop sounds of the PRIZE jump out first. One thing here which helps differentiate this EP from the sounds made in the members’ other projects was the splash of bar boogie, especially in the track “Told You So.” And while I don’t think these tracks vastly outshine their other projects or anything (at least in this first offering), I imagine they had a blast putting these songs together, and that energy definitely shines through. Would love to hear how this project might evolve further in the future.

Rozz Rezabek 1979 Pop Session LP

Previously misattributed as a late recording from San Francisco first-wavers NEGATIVE TREND when released as the unauthorized The Pop Sessions CD by White Noise Records in 1998, these nine tracks are actually solo efforts from the band’s former singer, the now-legendary ROZZ REZABEK, recorded in 1979 after he had parted ways with the group. This official LP release from HoZac is setting the record straight. The set captures the brief, yet potent moment in time when punk had just begun mutating into the hardcore styles that would dominate its presence in the years that would follow, and the sound of these tunes fits squarely between that of the earliest incarnations of BLACK FLAG and the first CIRCLE JERKS LP. The agitated rocking of the genre’s early days was approaching its boiling point, and few documents capture the era as definitively as this. ROZZ’s raging vocals are authentically steeped in sarcasm and spite, and songs like “Never Say Die” and “Dead Wrong” would be iconic standards had they not been buried in obscurity and misinformed bootlegs until now. It’s a must-hear for all true obsessives and would-be punk historians.

Shafrah بنات المدينه Bnat El Medinah LP

I really don’t know anything about this band other than that they play hardcore punk. A little melodic at times, and  some real bootstompers at other times. I’d even go as far as saying that at least one of the songs reminds of the kind of hardcore that BOSTON STRANGLER is known for. They also play some fast hardcore and some well-thought-out melodic punk, kind of like what CHAIN CULT is known for now. This is a very enjoyable record and I’d love to see them live.

Skism Somebody’s Baby CD

In Plato’s Allegory of the Cave, he uses the conceit of prisoners chained up inside a cave since birth, who know nothing of the outside world. From inside their confinement, they see shadows cast by other objects passing in front of a fire. For the prisoners, who have known nothing else, these shadows represent their reality. For them, this is absolute truth, despite these only being replications, images of the objects; a poor rendering of true reality. SKISM is a shitty shadow on a shittier cave wall. It sounds like punk music that was written for a sitcom. To borrow a phrase from the great Bill Shankly, if SKISM was playing at the bottom of my garden, I’d draw the curtains. Shite.

Stiff Richards GFC / Empty Barrels 7″

Breaking the silence of Aussie garage punkers STIFF RICHARDS after a four-year hiatus following their 2020 State of Mind LP, this short and explosive 45” simply slaps. A catchy and rocking A-side leads into an uncharacteristically fast and ripping B-side, sounding like the SAINTS on speed and leaving you wanting more. Is the start of a great new era for these Melbourne menaces? Stay tuned!

Street Sweeper Don’t Wait EP

This is as straight-ahead and swaggering as rock’n’roll gets. Just pure attitude and energy, recorded simply and done absolutely right. In just four tracks, this Melbourne act showcases a knack for wild melodic rock that harkens back to when the EXPLODING HEARTS first gainfully won all our attention. Of note here is guitarist and singer Allan Stacey’s near croon, a singer who has plenty of attitude but isn’t afraid to belt it out with sincerity. There’s really not a trace of irony to be found here, which is always refreshing. The band leaves themselves nothing to hide behind, just tracks like “Out to Dry,” which revs its motor and has a brief but delicious hook that leaves me wanting more and more. Worth the shipping from Australia and then some.

The Anchorite Four Vol. 1 LP

I like to go into a new album blind so I can manage any of the biases I have that will affect how I digest an unfamiliar band. Just to catch you all up to speed, this record here is actually a re-release of songs from the ANCHORITE FOUR’s debut CD from 2002. Now, if I had done my research prior to this, I would have known that Vol. 1 was just a product of its time. However, my immediate reaction to this slab was “Wow, the kids these days have really nailed that early ’00s emo/pop punk sound!” And honestly, that scenario would be much more impressive to me. Don’t get me wrong, this is a fun album. It brings to mind a lot of the Chicago pop punk bands I grew up around, like 504 PLAN and KNOCKOUT. But if I were to have heard this twenty years ago, it would have just sounded like everything else then. Regardless, if you’re nostalgic for this time period like I am, then you’ll love this. It’s not bad by any means, and the production is so polished that I still can’t believe this was recorded over two decades ago. I just don’t know if this will speak to the majority of MRR readers.

The Circulators Insufficient Fun LP

Insufficient Fun, the debut LP from San Francisco’s the CIRCULATORS, delivers some seriously impressive punk’n’roll barn-burners. Channeling the energy of bands like the DEVIL DOGS in my favorite tracks, they also incorporate a mix of ’60s pop and RAMONES-inspired rawness. The album has the gritty, rock’n’roll sound that could easily fit into the Crypt Records catalog from the ’90s, but somehow it doesn’t come across as a tired nostalgia act. These guys have serious potential, and I’m interested to hear what they throw at us next. Check out the TEENGENERATE-inspired “On the Loose.”

The Grimly Pleased Give Some Kicks 10”

Fun and silly cowpunk with a slight psychobilly edge. I mean this in the best way possible, but this sounds like it fell straight out of a time capsule from the early ’90s. Reminds me a lot of THEY MIGHT BE GIANTS, with the musical chops of TOY DOLLS and DEAD KENNEDYS. Seems to me like they use a lot of inside jokes in their lyrics, which I know can be a turnoff for those who value more substance in their poetry, but I’ve always enjoyed peeking through the window of someone’s world. Even when the jokes are a tad more cryptic, they’re written well enough to be relatable. Take their track “Thank You, Ben Morgan”—an ode to someone who I assume was once their recording engineer. “Thank you, Ben Morgan / Thank you for being so cool /Thank you, Ben Morgan / You didn’t even use Pro-Tools.” I don’t care who you are, that’s some charming wordsmithing right there.

The Maharajas Ride the Wylde Mammoths 10″

Garage rock has always been a genre that stands in tribute to itself. From the originators of jagged rock’n’roll in the ’60s covering standards to the various retro reinventions, what makes for good garage often comes down to interpretation. It’s fitting then that one of Sweden’s longer-running crops of the ’90s garage revitalization (is it revitalization if the genre never truly goes away?) committed an entire slab of wax to one of the heavy-hitters of the late ’80s. The WYLDE MAMMOTHS were a Crypt Records act out of Stockholm, and this is ten of their tracks from contemporary garage heads the MAHARAJAS. It’s a loving tribute, and it would have to be, with scarcely a hair out of place. It ties together garage rock neatly in cross-generational gift wrapping, from deeply chiming ’60s rock worship to the modern era. The WYLDE MAMMOTHS’ Pete Maniette passed away in 2023, and it’s hard to think of a better memorial than tracks like “Run From Her” being brought back to life in technicolor by as tight a band as the MAHARAJAS. It almost feels like a labor of love for true heads only, but really it serves as a beautiful entrypoint not just to Maniette’s body of work but the history of garage rock in general.

Total Vacation TV EP

L.A. fastcore project with a DIY and have-fun hardcore punk ethos that could make you want to start a band with your friends. They won’t stop, because they can’t and they don’t want to. Mad and very energetic drive, cadences, and rhythm section. Versing on scene critiques, but also love and existence, achieving the status of an interesting EP—such great speed.

Träume Wrzask LP

Over the past couple of years (and thanks to writing reviews for Maximum Rocknroll), I’ve become very familiar with punk from behind the Iron Curtain. When the Wrzask LP by TRÄUME landed in my inbox, I was excited to say the least. Moments after pressing play, I’m reminded of ZBOMBARDOWANA LALECZKA, which is the ancestral band of TRÄUME. If you like hardcore punk, then you’re going to love Polish hardcore punk. A mutation all its own: Polish hardcore tends to embrace playfulness in regards to rhythm shifts and exploration of noise, so get ready for some new sounds. TRÄUME is amazing at shifting between eardrum-piercing noise to bouncing hardcore in no time flat and with ultimate finesse. If you like TRÄUME, then maybe also check out ZBOMBARDOWANA LALECZKA, IŁ-62, or CITY SKYLINE.

V/A Degenerates and Dickweeds cassette

Thirteen tracks from thirteen different artists around the world, compiled for this release from Nashville, TN-based cassette label Knuckles on Stun. Plenty of snotty, synthy egg sounds to be found here. If you’ve checked out anything from Under the Gun, Goodbye Boozy, or the Australian synth punk scene, you’ll easily find things to dig here. As these are previously unreleased tracks, not every one is a highlight, but highlights are indeed here and ready to be discovered. Early standout “Drooler” by GARBANZO is a fantastic GEE TEE-sounding ode to some beloved mouth-breather, and “Normal Afternoon” by MEDIA PUZZLE is a great one-minute sugar rush. This collection whizzes by quickly, given the nature of the sounds, and makes perfect sense for a cassette release.